I love a good maze – we’ve found (and lost) ourselves in many over the years, from Hampton Court to Chatsworth, via many maize mazes on Sussex farms. Well, this summer, maze books seem to be having a moment. And no surprise when they look this fabulous. Great for improving coordination and concentration, plus, in the case of many of these books, a fun way to learn. We’ve picked five of our favourites for you to lose yourselves in.
Labyrinth by Theo Guignard (Wide Eyed Editions, RRP £12.99). On opening Labyrinth, you are greeted with a glorious explosion of colour, which continues throughout. Find your way through kaleidoscopic mazes in fourteen worlds: guide a diver to his submarine, help tourists get through town the beach and deliver a birthday present to a party in a magical mansion. With things to find on every page, this is suitable for children of five and up.
Amelia’s Maze Adventure (Lonely Planet Kids, RRP £6.99) is based around the story of Amelia, a young traveller on a round-the-world expedition to hunt for Lady Vivian Winthrop’s missing jewels. There are over 40 mazes to complete across the globe, featuring iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Mount Rushmore and the Great Wall of China. See also Marco’s Maze Mission – both are jam-packed with fun facts about the countries the children visit and suitable from about age 7.
Amazed by Aleksandra Artymowska (Laurence King, RRP £12.99) is essentially one huge maze broken down into ten parts as the reader helps a small lost boy get back to his friends. Challenges to conquer include underground passageways, pipes, treetops, deserts, cactus fields and crumbling statues. Beautifully ilustrated in blue and green tones, this would make a lovely gift for children over five.
From Here to There: A Book of Mazes to Wander and Explore by Sean C. Jackson (Chronicle, RRP £10.99). This is one for the serious maze addicts out there, containing 57 pleasingly graphic 3D mazes. Suitable for older children, but they might still require adult help to complete them. The author suggests using the non-writing end of a pen/pencil to trace the routes, so you can go over them again and again.
Maze Hop: Time Travel by Anna Brett (Carlton Kids, RRP £7.99) follows George and his dog, Milly, on a trip through history with 48 mazes to complete at moments in time, from the French Revolution, the Battle of Hastings and the First World War to Prohibition in New York, Nelson Mandela’s release from prison and space tourism of the future. Great for children aged six and up, each maze contains additional items to spot and is accompanied by historical facts.
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